These guys need a PR professional. Bad. This post reads even worse than some of their other posts.
So now we went from “Coming soon” to “really soon” to “when we want to”. Which is fine, but maybe hire someone who can write a few sentences without them sounding confrontational and defensive. Whatever. Looking forward to DC-3 if it comes. Mental note: don’t get excited about their announcements and previews.
To be fair, it might look a bit better if seen in context, if they really are being trolled. Some simmers (along with the rest of humanity) can be thoroughly obnoxious about things they have no right to, so developers venting seems entirely explicable on occasion.
All the same, I’d agree this doesn’t look very professional.
It’s just weird. First you release a Tutorial on start-up to YouTube, you claim your product to contain lots of custom code and to be of great quality (I don’t doubt that, I own an AH release on P3D and it’s great), and keep posting about how it’s JUST AROUND THE CORNER… Then you pull out.
So… Is it because it’s not ready? Which is fine… Or because of timing? Which is weird. I don’t know why they feel so insecure against Flying Iron’s Spitfire. Yes, FI has a great product, I enjoy it very much… BUT… AH has a DIFFERENT product - it’s not even the same Mark - it’s an earlier version. Plus, if it really had all those cool features they were talking about, it would have totally held its own against the Flying Iron one… I was looking forward to having both in my hangar.
But putting out press releases that first state that it’s pretty much ready to go, then about how MSFS is challenging to do aircraft for because of SDK, then to pull out indefinitely because of “timing issues” with the most defensive sounding post ever?
It’s just weird. This is why I am a fan of not saying much if it isn’t ready. PMDG’s DC-6 is almost ready. It will come out this month. They had a pretty short window between announcement and release. That is better than stringing people along for months, building anticipation, then saying it won’t come for a while. Just bad PR. Their April 1st paper one was brilliant marketing. This, on the other hand… I almost feel bad for them. They spent time developing something that sounds good but now are questioning their standing in the market? That’s the only way I see it right now.
As ThatAJWGuy said, the context of their response is important. In order to understand the totality of circumstances that prompted such a direct response, forum readers should have been provided with some or all of the prior posts.
We continually see the harsh judgement and hostility of the “elite” and “real” flight simmers in this forum. Even though Aeroplane Heaven’s response could be interpreted as too harsh, it is unfair to pass judgement when the context in which it was made has been omitted.
An increasingly popular tactic in today’s society uses the expectation of an organization’s professionalism as a shroud to justify their unyielding criticism and harassment. Most people are quick to rally to the just cause against “unprofessional” behavior. Very few stop to make a fair judgement based on the totality of circumstances.
So is it a short while like their post says? Or “Indefinitely” like your title says?
The Spitfire Mk1A is delayed, for reasons of timing. We just don’t feel that right now is the right time for this product. That is all. It will be out later in the year.
There is nothing wrong with that, it’s YOUR product.
Thankyou. Not sure why people get so hot under the collar about these things. We, to our knowledge, have not done anything to harm anybody, taken any money before release or damaged them in any way. So why all this fuss over an add-on for a flight game? When it is ready, we hope people buy it. If they don’t well that’s life. There are more important things to worry about in the world surely.
No idea, this type of stuff happens in business all the time. Companies delaying or changing release dates to give there products better chances or a competitive edge, is nothing new in business.
I’m not a customer of Aeroplane Heaven, but in any context, that public announcement is a trainwreck. It’s not offensive or anything. It just reeks of defensiveness and immaturity. Is there a translation issue? I hope they can learn from this, but it’s clear from an above post, that’s not likely.
Well, just so you know, I have no idea why people are complaining “We already have a spitfire”… Yeah? So what? In any event, I own the FI Spitfire, and I would have (and will) purchase yours upon release. As others have said, this is a TOTALLY different mark, and, in fact, the mark I prefer to own. I’m not as much of a fan of the later marks.
But, I agree, this is your decision. And, hey, the sim will have more features the longer you wait, and maybe the flight model will have settled down a little more.
I think most of the upset, outside of those immature enough that they cant wait, is because the first post seemed to imply that the delay was at least in part due to trolls and negative comments and the second post was- no it’s totally a timing issue.
It probably could have been worded better but its really no big deal and doesnt change my high opinion you as developers.
They mention the trolling and the negativity (flak) related to their model and comparisons to the Flying Iron model already released. They make those mentions in a way that affirms to me anyway that this is the central cause for their decision.
Rather than accuse Aeroplane Heaven of being immature or thin skinned it might be better to take a look in the mirror and wonder just how much ■■■■ they must have been getting for it to cause a full stop on the project. They have been doing this for a long time now and have received a number of awards for their work.
There is nothing wrong with AH as a flight sim aircraft developer. But how many of us who participate in these forums can honestly say the same for our ‘community’ ?
Thanks very much for your comments. Perhaps if I were to say this, maybe people will understand:
The delay in the timing of this release is due to a number of reasons. Negative reactions, recorded comment and observations and recent changes to the simulator itself have all contributed to us making our decision. We feel it better to delay and work further on aspects of this release we feel could be better still and to let the dust settle, as it were, over other recent releases. Clearer air, shall we say.
It’ll never be ‘gin clear’ mate - but I fully understand you on this matter.
We’ve lost already one airplane developer for MSFS, not due to the coding so much as to the attitudes of some who have an elevated personal sense of propriety shall we say - no need to lose another.
I always take a long walk whenever I am beginning to lose patience - garner a new perspective and take a few deep breaths. That’s what this feels like to me… at least I hope that’s all it is.
AH is a solid partner for the community to have making aeroplanes for MSFS - whether the half of us know it or not.
on a side note, not that it matters in the whole grand configuration of things - I plan to wait quietly for that Grumman F3F Barrel of yours to come brumbling down through the overcast and buzz the tower before too ■■■■ long…
Well, if you MUST chANGe your priorities, I’m good with that and eagerly await owning an AH plane someday 
They still have an amazing DC-3 coming and P-51 …so bring it on!! I am personally most excited for DC-3. We need one in the sim.
Another factor to consider: given more time, the base code of MSFS can only become more mature - and hopefully more stable - so that when the model is released there may be a better chance of being able to “fly” without the CTD events and glitches we’ve been dealing with for the better part of a year.
Developing for a “moving target” must make a difficult job even more difficult.
I have two of their products and was disappointed at how unrealistic they looked (textures).
My favorite is the F3F and the Gulfhawk G22. So made it a little bit better (bumps, panels, rivets, etc.), on the eyes.
This one was odd so did a test on why the specs are off. Same work on the bumps, rivets, doors, etc., etc.
